4.  The applicants M.Ł and A.Ł were born in 1952 and 1975 respectively. They both live in Warsaw, Poland.
5.  On 2 December 1994 the first applicant lodged a claim for maintenance against her ex-husband (“J.Ł”) with the Warsaw District Court (Sąd Rejonowy).
6.  On 22 February 1995 the court held a hearing and ordered an expert opinion. It was submitted to the court on 1 April 1995.
7.  At a hearing held on 9 June 1995 the trial court refused to issue an interim measure in order to secure the claim. The first applicant appealed. On 3 August 1995 the Warsaw Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy) dismissed the appeal. Further hearings were held on 16 January, 16 September and 1 October 1996.
8.  On 10 October 1996 the District Court gave judgment. On 7 November 1996 the first applicant filed an appeal. On 25 March, 20 May and 29 September 1997 the Warsaw Regional Court held hearings. On 13 October 1997 it gave judgment and dismissed the appeal. On 5 January 1998 the first applicant lodged a cassation appeal.
9.  On 7 October 1999 the Supreme Court (Sąd Najwyższy) gave judgment and remitted the case to the Regional Court. On 22 December 1999 the Regional Court remitted the case to the District Court. On 8 May 2000 the first applicant modified her claim. On 10 May 2000 the District Court held a hearing in the applicant’s case.
10.  On 8 June 2000 the District Court refused to issue an interim measure in order to secure the claim. The applicant appealed. On 20 September 2000 the Regional Court dismissed the applicant’s appeal. Subsequent hearings were held on 9 January and 22 February 2001.
11.  On 22 January 2001 the President of the Warsaw District Court informed the applicant that he would supervise the case in order to expedite the proceedings. On 29 March 2001 the trial court held a hearing and ordered a joint opinion from three experts. On 10 May 2001 the court changed its previous order and decided that three expert opinions be obtained.
12.  On 8 July 2001 the first applicant complained to the President of the Warsaw Regional Court about the delay in the proceedings. On 27 July 2001, in reply to her complaints, the President observed that the proceedings were conducted without any delay.
13.  On 7 August 2001 the first applicant challenged an expert opinion. She further requested the court to exclude a certain expert from giving an opinion in her case. On 10 August 2001 the trial court dismissed her request. On 28 August 2001 the first applicant appealed against the decision. On the same date she challenged the impartiality of the presiding judge and requested his withdrawal from sitting in the case. On 7 September 2001 the District Court dismissed her request. The first applicant appealed.
14.  Subsequent hearing was held on 7 November 2002. On 15 April 2003 the Warsaw District Court gave judgment. The judgment is final.
15.  On 11 May 1993 the applicants lodged a claim with the Warsaw Regional Court, seeking annulment of a contract of sale of real estate.
16.  On 1 June 1993 the court exempted the applicants from court fees. On 26 January 1994 the court fixed the date of a first hearing for 9 March. The trial court held hearings on the following dates: 9 March 1994; 2 June 1995; 22 August and 24 October 1997; 29 March, 22 June, 10 October and 26 November 1999.
17.  On 10 December 1999 the Regional Court gave judgment and dismissed the claim. The applicants appealed.
18.  On 21 June 2000 the Warsaw Court of Appeal (Sąd Apelacyjny) gave judgment. The applicants lodged a cassation appeal. On 11 July 2002 the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal.
19.  On 16 September 1996 the second applicant lodged a claim with the Warsaw District Court, seeking a higher amount of child maintenance. On 13 November 1996 the first applicant lodged a similar claim acting on behalf of her second daughter – “MA.Ł”. On 9 June 1997 the trial court joined the proceedings. On 27 June 1997 the court gave judgment. The applicants appealed. On 1 April 1998 the Warsaw District Court dismissed the applicants’ appeal and the judgment became final.
20.  On 7 November 1994 the first applicant lodged a claim against her ex‑husband - J.Ł. with the Warsaw District Court, seeking a removal of his parental rights over MA.Ł. On 6 February 1994 the first applicant modified her claim. On 3 March 1995 the ex-husband lodged a counter claim (wniosek wzajemny). On 7 November 1996 and 4 April 1997 respectively, the first applicant again modified her claim.
21.  In the meantime, the trial court had obtained a number of expert opinions concerning MA.Ł.’s state of health. On 25 May 1997 the court dismissed the first applicant’s claim. On 16 June 1997 the first applicant appealed. On 21 January 1998 the Warsaw Regional Court dismissed the appeal. On 22 July 1998 the applicant lodged a cassation appeal against the judgment. On 25 May 1999 the Supreme Court dismissed the cassation appeal.
22.  On 14 December 1993 a bill of indictment was lodged with the Warsaw District Court against J.Ł. He was charged with uttering threats and failure to pay child maintenance. On 14 March 1994 the court allowed the first applicant to take part in the proceedings as an auxiliary prosecutor (oskarżyciel posiłkowy). On 2 December 2002 the Warsaw District Court convicted J.Ł as charged. On 30 October 2003 the Warsaw Regional Court quashed the first-instance judgment and remitted the case. The proceedings are pending before the Regional Court.